Jammu and Kashmir Police today said there were intelligence reports that some militants were planning to carry out attacks along the national highway here and the two ultras, who were killed in a 56-hour gunbattle with security forces in Pampore, might have been part of that group.

“After the encounter that took place in Baramulla, the attack that happened, we had information that there were few people who were trying to sneak into the city and carry out attacks on the highway, so our people were alert,” Inspector General of Police Kashmir, SJM Geelani said. (PTI)

Jammu and Kashmir Police today said there were intelligence reports that some militants were planning to carry out attacks along the national highway here and the two ultras, who were killed in a 56-hour gunbattle with security forces in Pampore, might have been part of that group.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, SJM Geelani, speaking to reporters after the Pampore encounter, said there were intelligence inputs about militants trying to carry out attacks along the national highway.

“After the encounter that took place in Baramulla, the attack that happened, we had information that there were few people who were trying to sneak into the city and carry out attacks on the highway, so our people were alert,” Geelani said.

The IGP said the militants could not carry out attack on the highway because the security forces were alert.

“Probably it was also because of the fact that our people were alert and they (militants) could not cause any damage on the highway and they had to take shelter in the building,” he said.

Two ultras who were holed up in a government building on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway were killed today after a 56-hour gunbattle between militants and security forces in Pampore.

The IGP said the aim of the militants to occupy the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) building was two-pronged — to cause maximum casualties to the security forces and to draw the attention as they knew the operation will take time.

“The aim was to increase the casualties of the security forces who would come for the operation. And they had opted for this building because the operation would take time and so they would draw the attention,” he said.

Geelani said the security forces were alert and prepared for any eventuality.

The deployment that has to be done in terms of defensive posturing, is being done and also in terms of pro-active operations, they would also be conducted, he said.